Too many governments have Facebook standards

I have been blocked by Facebook for posting an article about Muslims killing gays.We have read many articles about gay men being hanged from cranes in Saudi Arabia and thrown off buildings blindfolded with hands tied behind their backs in Iran.

Can you imagine what would happen if a Priest said “Kill the Muslims” in a sermon or homily? Or if a lawyer on Canada was found to have written kill the Muslims on a Facebook posting? I can. There would be fire and fury aimed at those people. And of course, Facebook Jail; which can lead to self-editing on social media. Sadly, too many governments have Facebook standards. Attacks on Islam are to be condemned in the strongest language, accusations of Islamophobe which in and of itself leads to self-editing are encouraged.

A Muslim lawyer, Majid Mahmood, director of Liberty Law Solicitors and a partner at the City Law Chambers in Luton, described as a “hotbed” of terrorism with one quarter of its population Muslim, made the following comments on Facebook.

“…all the Israeli Zionists” to be shot dead, adding that he hoped their bodies would be sent as a gift to then-President Obama.

“Someone needs to shoot all the Israeli Zionists dead then send their bodies to America as a present for Obama and his Zionist pals.”

A year later, Mahmood commented on a video story on Facebook regarding Jewish refugees being flown to safety, writing:

I have been blocked by Facebook for posting an article about Muslims killing gays.We have read many articles about gay men being hanged from cranes in Saudi Arabia and thrown off buildings blindfolded with hands tied behind their backs in Iran.

These actions were backed by the two governments. But I was blocked for posting a fact filled article. For THIRTY days. It didn’t fit the Facebook community standards.

What of forty-year-old Mahmood, the lawyer? Did his posts fit Facebook Community standards?

It took a complaint against Mahmood filed with the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, a watchdog group which monitors and combats anti-Jewish bigotry in the UK to get his attention.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal accepted Mahmood’s claim that his remarks were made merely with regard to “Zionists”, and in no way suggested he was anti-Semitic. Killing Zionists is not an attack on Jews according to this organization. So he was fined but not disbarred. He was fined 25,000 pounds, given a suspended sentence of 12 months, barring him from performing legal services if he commits a similar offense, and was required to pay 9,595 pounds ($12,322) in legal fees.

Was he disbarred from Facebook for life? I don’t know? If he wasn’t blocked at the time, why would one assume he has since been blocked? Calling for the death of Jews is not a blockable offence. It doesn’t seem to conflict with Facebook’s community standards.

Neither is it an offence in Canada. And one can call for the death of Jews in the middle of Queen’s Park in front of the Ontario Parliament buildings in Toronto Canada, the capital of the province of Ontario.

During al-Quds Day rally in 2013 in Toronto, Elias Hazineh, former President of the Palestine House in Canada, called for the killing of the Israeli Jews if they do not leave Palestine immediately.

Elias Hazineh, the former president of an organization called Palestinian House, suggested that an ultimatum be given to Israelis.

“You have to leave Jerusalem. You have to leave Palestine. We say get out or you’re dead! We give them two minutes and then we start shooting. And that’s the only way they’ll understand.”

Hazineh spoke to an applauding crowd of around 400. I was one of only two columnists to report this.Thi is in Toronto.Media Mecca.

One can call for the death of Jews from mosques in Ontario, too. Here are just a few.

Sheikh Abdulqani Mursal, imam at Masjid Al Hikma mosque in Toronto (36 Colville Rd, North York – Lawrence and Keele), explains that the fate of the Jews is destined to be killed by the Muslims. In a lecture at the at Masjid Al Hikma mosque, Mursal read the chapter “Turmoil And Portents Of The Last Hour” from Sahih Muslim (hadith collection, meaning narrations attributed to Mohammad), including the following narrations. Come here, Muslim, there is a Jew (hiding himself behind me); kill him.

But this is still my favourite. Aymen Elkasrawy and Shaykh Abdool Hamidat the Masjid Toronto mosque in 2016 offered supplications including:

“O Allah! We ask you… [to give us] victory over the enemies…O Allah! Count their number; slay them one by one and spare not one of them…O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews! O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews!”

While they were calling for death to the Jews more than a dozen people had gathered outside with loudspeakers and banners in hand, shouting slogans about banning Islam as Muslims gathered to pray inside. Mohamed Abdi, a member of the mosque, who I assume has sat through other supplications said it’s the first time he’s seen such a strong backlash against his religion.

“I was under the assumption that lately there’s been a lot of sentiment and positivity towards the Muslim communities, especially with recent events. It’s very upsetting that this did happen.”

In an email, Toronto police Constable Jenniferjit Sidhu said police will investigate possible hate crimes if an official complaint is reported. Read that again. Police will look into charging the PROTESTERS with a hate crime! And the Imams?

The mayor tweeted his disgust regarding the protest.

“Islamophobia has NO place in our city. I’ve visited Masjid Toronto many times & denounce all acts of hatred towards our Muslim citizens.”

Hmmm. How many times do you think he sat through prayers calling for death to the Jews in Arabic? I have to believe he did not sit through any hateful supplications in English.

Well, the Imams felt the need to apologize. Or was it pressure when it was pointed out that calls for “Death to the Jews” were shared in their Holy Place?

There was an apology for “misspeaking” when it came to their attention that an inappropriate supplication that was offensive to those of Jewish faith, was made in their downtown mosque, Masjid Toronto. It had to be brought to their attention? Living in Toronto the largest multiethnic city on the world? And offensive to those of the Jewish faith? Not the rest of the people on Canada?

Well apparently not. And no penalty. No charges by the police. No shock from the politicians, or the media for that matter.

But hold a protest-a protest-against Islam which calls for the death to Jews and calls for the death of gays and refuses to accept that women are equal to men and voila, politicians go viral stepping over each other to share their shock. And the media just can’t crawl over it enough. Protesting is a vile, vile action while calling for the death of Jews, of human beings, citizens on this country is…meh.

When will Canada charge these Imams with hate crimes? When will the attorneys general, federal and provincial go after these hatemongers in holy clothing? When will the mayor of Toronto show his disgust for religious leaders who call for death to the Jews? When will the Prime Minister of Canada share his shock for Muslims calling for Death to the Jews?